Van Raalte Papers: 1860-1869

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  The Executive Committee of the Council of Hope College

  Abel T. Stewart

  The executive committee of the Council of Hope College met in the study of Pres. Philip Phelps Jr. Only Rev. Peter J. Oggel and Rev. Abel T. Stewart were the only other members present. Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte was not present due to his absence in the Netherlands. The committee took "immediate measures to establish a Germinal Class for the Ladies."

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  It Was Reported in a Note Published in De Hope On This Day That Rev. Philip Phelps Learned from Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte That V. R. and Mrs. V. R. Were Expected to be in New York Very Soon

  Henry ten Hoor

  It was reported in a note published in De Hope on this day that Rev. Philip Phelps learned from Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte that V.R. and Mrs. V.R. were expected to be in New York very soon. The Van Raaltes were in the process of traveling to the Netherlands.

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  A Report of the Local Bible Society Meeting Appeared on This Date in De Hope

  Henry ten Hoor and Nella Kennedy

  A report of the local Bible society meeting appeared on this date in De Hope. Addresses were made by Rev. T. Romeyn Beck of the college, a Mr. Heald, Rev. Pieter J. Oggel, and Dr. Bernardus Ledeboer. Members of the committee included Kommer Schaddelee, Isaac Cappon, and Jan Binnekant.

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  "A Copy of the FIRST CATALOGUE AND CIRCULAR OF HOPE COLLEGE, INCORPORATED A.D. 1866, AT HOLLAND, OTTAWA CO., MICHIGAN; with a Catalogue and Circular of the Holland Academy. 1865-66. Published by the Council. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Company, Printers. 1866. 48 Pages"

  The Council. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Company, Printers

  A copy of the FIRST CATALOGUE AND CIRCULAR OF HOPE COLLEGE, INCORPORATED A.D. 1866, AT HOLLAND, OTTAWA CO., MICHIGAN; with a Catalogue and Circular of the Holland Academy. 1865-66. Published by the Council. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Company, Printers. 1866. 48 pages. Dr. Philip Phelps is the president; Albertus C. Van Raalte is listed as the representative of the Particular Synod of Chicago. V.R. is also listed as president of the Council. Six gentlemen are listed as faculty. Thirty names of students are listed but at the publishing of the brochure, two are deceased, it says, and five withdrew before the incorporation. The courses offered in the Holland Academy are also listed. The students number 27 making a total enrollment of college and academy of fifty. Pages 37 to 40, a list is given of all the graduates of the Academy to date. There were 73 graduates. A historical sketch of the Academy, year by year, is on pages 41 to 47. The historical material is an important source on the early history of the college and academy.

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  "A Document Signed by Albertus C. and Christiana J. Van Raalte, Giving the Power of Attorney Over All Their Affairs, to Their Son, D. B. K. Van Raalte, While the Van Raaltes are on Their Trip to the Netherlands"

  Henry E. Thompson

  A document signed by Albertus C. and Christiana J. Van Raalte, giving the power of attorney over all their affairs, to their son, D. B. K. Van Raalte, while the Van Raaltes are on their trip to the Netherlands. The document was notarized by Henry E. Thompson, Notary Public for Kent County, Michigan. Ben Van Raalte was a witness to the signing.

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  A Record of a Property Transaction Between A. C. V. R. and Adrian Zwemer

  Van Raalte

  A record of a property transaction between A.C.V.R. and Adrian Zwemer. Zwemer purchased a parcel of land for $415.00.

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  A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, containing more details about their trip to Europe. They plan to leave April 23.

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  A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps: Phelps is encouraged in his fund-raising. A.C.V.R. reports on the revival taking place in town. Second church received its new minister.

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  A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps: "My plan of visiting the Netherlands was given up because I am by high prices, horrible taxes, drainage etc exhausted. Your letter containing that very kind offer of Brother Schieffelin and his Brother and the encouraging hope to raise the gift to $500 has changed the Whole. Now the Lord opens the way I do accept that offer very thankful: I crave such a change for Mrs. Van Raalte, it may restore her to certain measure." He hopes to leave the second week of April.

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  A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, reporting that they arrived safely in the Netherlands. Mrs. Van Raalte was much better. He is feeling much better and eating well. "I hope that you may succeed in keeping the Theological class at Holland. I look upon it as very important for the West."

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  A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, written from Albany, New York, on their way to Europe. Phelps is in New York City at this time.

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  A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps: more about the trip abroad.

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  A Letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, asking for Phelps assistance in making plans to sail to the Netherlands soon. A.C.V.R. details travel plans, passport application, and money amount they will need for the trip.

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  A Page from A. C. V. R.'s Account Book Showing the Property Transactions with John Roost and Jan Robrecht Kleyn

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A page from A.C.V.R.'s account book showing the property transactions with John Roost and Jan Robrecht Kleyn, two prominent Holland businessmen. The writing is A.C.V.R. Apparently he had returned by this date from the Netherlands.

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  A Letter of Albertus Van Raalte to His Friends in the Netherlands Written Just Before His Departure for America and Published in De Bazuin

  A. C. Van Raalte and Elisabeth Dekker

  A letter of Albertus Van Raalte to his friends in the Netherlands written just before his departure for America and published in De Bazuin, date of publication not given. He is sorry that he was not able to see many people on this trip as he and his wife intended. He is concerned that the church in America and the church in the Netherlands can be united in their missionary endeavors especially in Africa. He speaks of the a possible gift to build a missionary ship. "The plan is ready and the keel is laid." Here is a reference to the missionary ship project in Holland, Michigan, of 1864. The ship is to be a steamboat for use on the River Nile for the establishment of mission stations down the Nile.

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  A. C. Van Raalte Writes a Letter to T. Asch Van Wijk

  A. C. Van Raalte and Nella Kennedy

  While Albertus and Christina Van Raalte are visiting the Netherlands, he writes from Kampen to T. Asch van Wijk and gives him 35 guilders on Ds. Pieter Oggel's bill for his subscription to the Haagsche newspaper which is a daily. But Oggel is discontinuing his subscription. [Oggel is married to the Van Raalte's daughter.]

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  A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to His Son Ben

  A. C. Van Raalte and Nella Kennedy

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to his son, Ben, giving many details about their visit in the Netherlands. "We are enjoying our vacation and rest immensely and the pleasure of seeing so many of our relatives, of whom many are still living, is very enjoyable. We are showered with love and consideration - wherever we go the best is none too good. We feel very thankful and appreciative toward our children and yourself that your were willing to assume the care of the family and carry: the burden of that care to assure us of being able to get this rest." A postscript by Mrs. Van Raalte: Hello, dear Ben. Seek the Lord.

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  A Sermon by A. C. V. R. on the Text of I Peter 1:2b. A. C. V. R. Wrote in Pencil

  A. C. Van Raalte and Nella Kennedy

  A sermon by A.C.V.R. on the text of I Peter 1:2b. A.C.V.R. wrote in pencil at the top, "by vertrek naar Nederland" [at the departure to the Netherlands], and at the end of the sermon wished the congregation to have grace and peace "under all circumstances" while he was gone. A.C.V.R. and wife left for Europe on April 23.

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  Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Wrote a Sermon for Presentation at the Annual National Day of Prayer for Crops and Industry

  A. C. Van Raalte and Nella Kennedy

  Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte wrote a sermon for presentation at the annual National Day of Prayer for Crops and Industry. The date of its presentation is not given. Dr. E. William Kennedy, in his study of the minutes of the Classis of Holland, said that the last mention of the annual day of prayer was 17 April 1867. The sermon may have been given that year or in an earlier year.

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  Albertus C. Van Raalte Made an Appeal On This Date to the Readers of De Hope to be Concerned for the Needs of Dutch People Migrating to America

  A. C. Van Raalte and Simone Kennedy

  Albertus C. Van Raalte made an appeal on this date to the readers of De Hope to be concerned for the needs of Dutch people migrating to America. Contributions may be sent to Rev. [John Mason?] Ferris at 103 Fulton St., New York.

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  Another Letter from Albertus C. Van RaaIte Appeared in De Hope On This Date

  A. C. Van Raalte and Simone Kennedy

  Another letter from Albertus C. Van RaaIte appeared in De Hope on this date. It is an extract from a letter, undated, received by the family. He reported that serious cholera epidemic was in progress. He was traveling around and preaching but because of a throat ailment he had to rest and keep quiet "which is often more difficult to do than working." He is enjoying his contacts with the Kampen seminar. The school has fifty students and is supported well by about 250 congregations. He mentions in this letter as in a previous letter that war was imminent. Possibly the Prussians will rise against Napoleon, king of France. [The Franco-Prussian War occurred in 1870.]

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  Another Report/Letter [Undated] Was Received from Albertus C. Van Raalte and Published in De Hope

  A. C. Van Raalte and Simone Kennedy

  Another report/letter [undated] was received from Albertus C. Van Raalte and published in De Hope on this date. He reported that he attended the synod meeting of the Gereformeerde Kerk, the church formed from the Afscheiding of 1834, held in Amsterdam. And he was interested in many of the subjects under discussion. He deplored the lack of missionary zeal. The church has only one missionary in Java [Indonesia]. He, as a representative of the Reformed Church in America, was happy to report that "It was also very enjoyable to know that the Synod, after having investigated the old-Holland Church in America was convinced that it kept to the doctrines, discipline and worship, and has expressed their brotherly union and recognition, and decided to keep fraternal contact as with the churches in Scotland." Undoubtedly members of the Christian Reformed Church in America had gotten the ear of some people in the Netherlands and cast aspersions on the RCA after the secession of 1857. He and his wife continue to enjoy their stay. He commented that Americans could learn something from the Dutch about planting more trees around their homes. But the country is generally "depressed." He was astonished to see that the Harlem Lake was drained and now contained many beautiful farms.

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  Letter Written by A. C. Van Raalte Published in De Hope

  A. C. Van Raalte and Simone Kennedy

  In a letter written by Albertus C. Van Raalte on this date from Middelburg, Zeeland Province, the Netherlands, and published in De Hope on August 30 he spoke more about the devastating cholera epidemic and the threatening international situation. He and Christina visited Schiedam, Rotterdam, Willemstad, Fijnaart, Klundert, and Zevenbergen. It was a special pleasure to visit Fijnaart where his father served a Hervormde Kerk and where he died. "It was a great pleasure... to sow again in the field where my father had worked..." V.R. preached twice to a full church in Middelburg. V.R. seemed energized by his traveling and speaking and says he is becoming "strong and fat." Christina is doing well except for her cough.

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  The Editor of De Hope Printed Excerpts on October 11 from Two Dutch Periodicals, De Bazuin and De Wekstem Following Albertus C. and Christian de M. Van Raalte's Departure from the Netherlands.

  A. C. Van Raalte and Simone Kennedy

  The editor of De Hope printed excerpts on October 11 from two Dutch periodicals, De Bazuin and De Wekstem following Albertus C. and Christian de M. Van Raalte's departure from the Netherlands. The excerpt is a letter of Van Raalte to the Separatist churches of the Netherlands on the above date, September 30. He wished he could have seen more people and not missed some appointments. Both he and his wife have been revived and strengthened during their stay. He really prays for more united mission work by the RCA and the Gereformeerde Kerk. V.R. reveals plans for some definite courses of action.

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  Albertus C. Van Raalte Wrote His Children This Letter Which Was Published in De Hope June 14, 1866

  A. C. Van Raalte, Simone Kennedy, and Nella Kennedy

  Albertus C. Van Raalte wrote his children this letter which was published in De Hope June 14, 1866. He reported on his trip to the Netherlands and that they finally came to Kampen. They are staying with the Antonie Brummelkamps, Christina Van Raalte's sister and her husband. Another brother of Christina, Simon van Velzen, lives nearby as does her brother, the Rev. Carel de Moen. They met Professor Helenius de Cock and the Rev. van Gispen. Van Raalte has many preaching engagements lined up already: Amsterdam, Ommen, Utrecht, Zwolle, and Genemuiden. Mrs. Van Raalte seems to be better. Van Raalte is happy that he is living in America. He already encountered many people looking for work. "I praise the emigration movement and am glad that my children are at the other side of the ocean.....it is far better for a human being to live in America than to live in the old, densely populated countries."